California Law — Plain English

What is SB 848?

California's Safe Learning Environments Act — signed October 7, 2025, effective January 2026. What it means, what schools must now do, and what you can ask your school to prove they're doing it.

In one sentence

SB 848 is a new California law that forces every school — public and private — to stop employees accused of child sexual misconduct from quietly leaving and getting rehired somewhere else, while also requiring schools to train staff and students to recognize and report abuse.

Why was this law passed?

Sources: CalMatters Oct 8 + Dec 23, 2025 · Business Insider investigation (Matt Drange, 2023) · KPBS Dec 23, 2025

What does SB 848 actually require schools to do?

1 — The misconduct database
  • A new statewide database of school employees with credible abuse allegations — administered by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)
  • Every school must check this database before hiring any new employee
  • Applies to both credentialed teachers AND non-credentialed classified staff (aides, coaches, custodians)
  • If an accusation proves unfounded, the employee is removed from the database
  • Employers must now disclose prior "egregious misconduct" when a former employee applies elsewhere — closing the "passing the trash" loophole
  • Applies to all schools — public and private
2 — Mandatory staff training
  • All teachers, coaches, support staff, and volunteers must receive annual training on preventing and recognizing sexual misconduct
  • Training must cover how to identify grooming behavior — the process abusers use to gain a child's trust before abuse occurs
  • Staff must submit proof of completing training within the first 6 weeks of each school year
  • Effective July 1, 2026 for private schools
3 — Student education on grooming
  • Schools must now teach students — in age-appropriate ways — how to recognize grooming behavior and what to do if it happens to them
  • Instruction must cover child neglect, sexual abuse, assault awareness, and how to report
  • This is a significant change — previously schools were not required to teach students directly about these risks
4 — Written boundary policies
  • By July 1, 2026, every school must have a written policy defining appropriate contact between employees and students
  • Must address communication outside school hours — including texting, social media, and online contact
  • Must address physical environments — classrooms and non-classroom areas must be designed to allow easy supervision
  • Policy must cover volunteers and contractors, not just paid staff
5 — Expanded mandatory reporters
  • SB 848 expands who is legally required to report suspected abuse to authorities
  • Now includes all private school staff and volunteers — not just public school employees
  • A mandatory reporter who fails to report suspected abuse can face criminal penalties
  • Parents should know who the mandatory reporter contact is at their school and how to reach them

When does it kick in?

October 7, 2025
SB 848 signed by Governor Newsom
January 1, 2026
Law effective — misconduct disclosure requirements begin · New employee hiring disclosures required · Expanded mandatory reporter obligations begin
July 1, 2026
Written boundary policies must be adopted · Training requirements extended to private schools and volunteers · Safety plans must be updated · Schools should have all protocols in place
Ongoing
Annual staff training required every school year · Misconduct database checked for every new hire

What to ask your school — right now

A school that cannot answer these questions clearly has not yet implemented SB 848 fully. That is worth knowing before you enroll.
Sources used on this page